Of Airports and Engagements
by ScarletBloodDoll
Summary: A wrench is thrown into Gold's plan of finding his son when a ticket agent notices just enough discrepancies to raise a red flag. Only as authorities swoop in and a criminal case is pending against Storybrooke's sheriff and pawn broker, Henry Mills may very well end up in the system albeit temporarily. Who exactly is going to save them now?
1. Chapter I

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **I**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **February 10th, 2013 through February 12th, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Teen

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two, Episode 13 'Tiny'

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s), including but not limited to character(s) 'Andrew' and 'Octavia' whom belong solely to the author. This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated. A thank you is in order to WinterBlazes for taking my original idea, and expanding upon it.

* * *

"Octavia!" her manager popped his head into the break room, looking a bit frazzled. "I know it is last minute but would you mind covering for John? He came in convinced he was recovered with his bout with the flu, except he just ran out on the same customer twice, _vomiting_."

The woman in question shuddered despite chuckling at the look of horror on her manager's face. Octavia glanced at the clock knowing that if she left any later than three o'clock she would not be able to pick up her son from elementary school, much less help him with his homework. Though at the end of the day the young mother could not deny the extra shift would help them get by. "Sure thing Andrew," she grinned. "Give me a few minutes to call my mother and ask her if she wouldn't mind picking up the munchkin from school." _For the second time this week, oh boy_.

"I promise I will have you out of here as soon as I can. Janet should be coming in by six o'clock at the latest." Andrew promised seeing the confliction in her eyes, he himself at the same crossroads many years ago.

Octavia nodded and finished the rest of her meal before making the necessary phone calls and freshening up in the restroom. Straightening her hair bow and smoothing down the rest of her red hair she made her way out onto the floor and dodged around her busy coworkers.

"Octavia, go ahead and sign in on terminal six and take the next customer from Scarlett's line." Andrew called, settling into his own desk.

"Got it!" Swinging into her station, she quickly typed in her login information before looking up and surveying the crowd. _You have to love the mid-afternoon crowd_, she thought. _It is either one extreme weather condition or another and every single person in the terminal is due for an afternoon nap. _"I can take the next customer at terminal six!" she waved.

Octavia watched as a thin man stepped out behind the customer at the desk before limping his way over to her counter.

"Hello and welcome to Cape Air, how may I be of assistance today?"

"I need another plane ticket for the flight leaving at four fifteen, first class, Augusta to New York."

Octavia glanced down at the item he placed in front of her; a thick wad of cash kept together by a rubber band.

"Please," he enunciated; despite what was meant to be a friendly smile, a row of pointed teeth said otherwise.

"One moment please," she tried to suppress the shiver that ran down her back, his dark eyes seemingly boring into her soul.

"With a stop in Boston, Massachusetts correct?" Her fingers flew across the keyboard, her anxiousness growing.

"Indeed, preferably a seat in this row." He slid two ticket stubs in her direction.

Eyeing the numbers she found the information she needed and pulled up the flight manifest. "You're in luck, the window seat is available. The name for the ticket, Sir?"

"Henry Mills."

"How old is Henry?"

"Eleven."

"Your name? Simply for verification purposes of course," she quickly said seeing his eyes narrow.

"R. Gold."

_It figures, last names do not match – paperwork and red tape galore_. "Do you have the necessary paperwork completed to escort a minor?"

"Excuse me?" he leered at her. The air about him seemed to darken despite the brightness of the afternoon sun shining through the large windows.

"I am assuming that little Henry Mills is not your son," she smiled brightly. "You are escorting him on this flight, correct?"

"Oh no." In a blink of an eye he shrunk back and straightened. "His mother is accompanying him, her ticket is right here."

Glancing down Octavia took note of the name – _Emma Swan_. Typing in the information she worriedly chewed her lip; _something_ did not seem right but what?

"Does Ms. Swan have any formal identification that is able to provide that state that she is his mother?" she asked.

"Ms. Swan is young Henry's birth mother, what else could you possibly need?"

_Birth mother_, her mind quickly ran through the many conversations she had within the last week – _where had she heard that particular phrase before_? A sense of urgency grew in her gut. _The seminar on child safety just last week indicated that such a particular word was a possible red flag_. Octavia nervously glanced at the two plane tickets on the counter, along with the laid out cash, then finally to her screen.

"I am paying in cash, what more do you want?" Gold growled, stabbing a finger at her.

"Of course Mr. Gold, I am terribly sorry for the delay." Octavia winced, hoping her hunch would pay off. "Give me one moment to allow me to have my superior verify that all protocols and regulations have been followed regarding the travel of a minor and I will be able to issue the ticket momentarily." Stepping away from her terminal, she caught the man's scowl before she began to make her way to Andrew's desk.

It wasn't to be said that she knew many single mothers traveled with their children who bore their father's last name and usually she was able to garner the information she needed without any trouble but this man's defensive attitude eluded otherwise, not to mention the woman and boy were nowhere to be seen.

"This may be nothing," Andrew glanced up from his paperwork as Octavia rounded his desk, pulling her ponytail over her shoulder. "Or it may be something but I believe there is something _off_ about my current customer,"

"How so?" Andrew stood and peered over her shoulder, wondering just what kind of crazy it would be today.

"He is attempting to procure a ticket for a flight leaving at four fifteen to New York for a minor, except neither his last name or the woman he is claiming to be the minor's _birth _mother match and might at mention that he is paying cash, big bills."

"I am sensing there is a 'but' in there."

"His and hers ticket were bought online more than a week ago."

Andrew's eyebrows rose and he nodded. "Go ahead and issue the plane ticket; I will notify the authorities to meet them at the gate, there is nothing we can do until they pass security and show an obvious intent."

"What if it turns out to be nothing?" Octavia nervously twirled her finger through her hair.

"Then it turns out to be nothing. We issue a courtesy plane ticket and voucher, and they arrive to their destination a few hours late." Andrew came around the desk and watched the unsightly man rap his bony knuckles on the counter. "Except if it is something, there is a mother out there who is missing her son and would do anything to have him back. What if the person who helps in that quest is a certain airline ticket agent?"

Octavia took a deep breath to steady her before nodding; as much as she wanted to be right about this feeling, there was also a part of her that wanted to be wrong, very, very, very wrong.

"How about I come with you? You know, just in case." Andrew took the lead and Octavia followed, making a mental note to forgo an early bedtime and take her own mother and son out for an ice cream cone, _even if it was a school night_.

* * *

Emma wearily watched the interaction occurring at the ticket counter with a sense of unease; perhaps it would have been a better idea if she bought the plane ticket instead, after all Gold was a rather odd character with near bipolar moods. Then again Gold was paying for her son's ticket and she doubted he would have let go of the money quite so easy. Nevertheless she reached into her pocket and withdrew her cellphone, sliding down in her chair.

"Emma, I'm hungry." Henry paused his video game in order to drape himself over her lap.

Emma awkwardly settled a hand on his forehead, her maternal instincts still lying dormant for over a year. "We will get you something once we get through security."

"But I'm hungry now though. I don't want to wait to go through security. Do you have any snacks?" Henry's small hand began to dig through her coat pocket and she flinched away. The action did not go unnoticed.

Emma sighed as she looked down at her son, his big brown eyes widening, an ingenious attempt at his own version of the puppy dog eyes. "No, no snacks. Kid, if you don't eat it now, we can't take it with us through security. Once Gold has your ticket it will only be a half an hour at most. After that, we can get as much food as you want."

Henry grumbled and sat up, his bottom lip jutting out as he unpaused his video game and began to smash the buttons. "Mom always had snacks in her pockets and always had food ready for me _before_ I even said I was hungry."

"Henry," Emma groaned. The boy shrugged her off and leaned away from her.

_This whirlwind of adventure needs to stop soon_, Emma rubbed her temples. _It would be nice to be able to relax for a while_. The Storybrooke Sheriff anxiously stood and began to wander making sure she kept an eye on Henry from a distance. The prospect of raising a teenager in an unstable town full of magic and hidden wonders served to create a bigger headache. _How can I raise a teenager on my own when I wasn't even raised by a good mother?_

"Ms. Swan?" A low voice asked behind her. Emma slightly jumped as Gold appeared at her side.

"Was there any trouble?" Emma asked as she glanced down at the tickets in his hand.

"None at all," Gold turned and eyed the redheaded woman behind the counter. "Only some harlot found it appropriate to stick her nose where it did not belong."

Emma followed his gaze to the ticket agent who was obviously watching them from a distance, her eyes shifting nervously between her current customer and themselves. "Right," she said slowly. "No trouble, right?"

"None at all." Gold assured her.

"Henry is hungry," Emma turned back to glance at her son who eagerly sat up and watched the odd pair. "Let's just try to get through security without any more incidents."

"Lead the way, Sheriff."

The trio gathered their bags and the tickets were properly administered to the correct holder, only Emma could not help but feel as though they were being watched and she knew it had something to do with the redhead behind the counter.


	2. Chapter II

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **II**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **February 10th, 2013 through February 12th, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Teen

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two, Episode 13 'Tiny'

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s). This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

"All carry on luggage must be placed on the conveyor belt for inspection! Please remove your jacket and any other loose accessories but not limited to belts, jewelry, and shoes and placed them into the provided bins. Thank you." The automated voice repeated its message through ought the security checkpoint.

Out of the corner of her eye the sheriff kept an eye on the pawn broker who seemed too startled at the various noises that filtered from the gates to the loudspeaker. With the side of her foot she nudged her bag forward, taking a moment to yawn and pull her hair to one side.

"Have you ever been outside of Storybrooke Mr. Gold?" Henry peered up at the man.

"No." Gold flinched as he gave his dismissive answer. Only the comment served to draw Emma out of her lethargic state as questions she had once forgotten about came to mind, questions that if Henry could not answer (she was sure Gold would not) would simply have to wait until they returned home.

"Are you nervous?"

"No."

"Are you worried about meeting your son?"

"No Henry! I am fine." Gold snarled and Emma quickly intervened grasping Henry's shoulder and moving him in front of the annoyed man.

"How about we talk about this later?" Emma gave Henry a look that said otherwise, her son shrugging her touch away once more. "We're next. Go on ahead, I need to help Gold." Henry gave her no acknowledgement despite moving forward and placing his backpack on the belt.

"You need to put your shoes in." Emma began to unwind her scarf from her neck and place it in her bin.

"How terribly uncivilized," Gold remarked yet moved to do as he was told.

Henry on the other hand drifted away as he followed the instructions to a tee. Clutching his ticket in one hand he moved to pass through the metal detector, cringing as the machine beep and alarms wailed.

"Henry!" Emma snarled and threw out her hands before turning around to face Gold and removing his scarf. Whether it was the hustle and bustle of the crowd, the stress of traveling with her son for the first time, or the constant effort to keep an eye on Gold – Emma Swan was quickly losing her cool.

"Son, did you remove any and all metal you had on you?" A hand clapped around his shoulder as Henry looked up to the towering officer, his eyes widening. _Now he had gone and done it_.

Henry shook his head despite hiding his left hand behind him.

"Can I see what you have there?" the officer asked, holding out his hand.

The eleven year old boy bit his lip and glanced back towards Emma and Gold. "It's my video game; my mom gave it to me." Henry shyly showed the officer, refusing to hand it over.

"What's your name?"

"Henry. Henry Mills." Henry thrust his ticket information into the man's face.

"Well Henry Mills, I'll tell you what. We have to send your video game through the same scanner your shoes just went through just to make sure there isn't something in there that could hurt someone. How about I show you how it works?"

"My mom told me to keep it safe because it was a special present; I'm not supposed to let anyone borrow it."

"I promise it will never leave your sight, okay?"

Henry nodded and scooped up his backpack and slipped his shoes on before the officer lead him around the cordoned off area to an unused x-ray scanner.

"Is that your mom over there that bought you the video game?" the officer asked, throwing his head towards the security area.

"Oh! Emma? Nu-uh," Henry shook his head. "She's my birth mom. My other mom bought it for me; it wasn't even my birthday!"

"She sounds like a pretty great mom if you ask me," the officer said as he started up the machine and motioned to Henry to place the console inside of a thin tray. "Now if you stand right here in front of this screen, you will see your video game come through the machine and stop while you inspect it and then move right along."

Henry eagerly nodded and watched the conveyor belt and screen like a hawk. In turn the officer stepped back and pulled out his walkie-talkie. "Dispatch, do you copy?"

"Go ahead."

"We have a possible 207 of a minor at Augusta Regional Airport."

"10-9, possible 207 of a minor?"

"10-4."

"Officer is this a Code Adam?"

"10-23."

The radio went silent as Henry scooped up the console from the tray and the officer turned off the machine. "Thank you!" Henry chirped, slipping the treasured item into his jacket pocket. "Cool! There is a Cinnabon here!" He dug through his pocket, grinning when he found the last five dollars Regina had given him one Friday morning to buy a slice of pizza or two after school. "Emma, hurry up!" Henry called over his shoulder, his stomach overruling his brain.

The officer kept a watchful eye on the boy as his radio cackled to life despite the code he called. "11-99, 11-99 Augusta Regional Airport. All on duty officers please report to Augusta Regional Airport, Gate 10, possible 254. I repeat possible 245, be advised."

* * *

_"Hello you have reached the personal voice mail box for Regina Mills. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message and I will return your phone call within twenty four hours. Thank you."_

"Mom? Mom, are you there? It's me, Henry. Please pick up."

* * *

"_Hello you have reached the personal voice mail box for Regina Mills. Please leave your name, number, and a brief message and I will return your phone call within twenty four hours. Thank you."_

"Regina, damn it. I – we do not have twenty four hours! Look, I'm sorry for everything that happened – with Archie, with Henry, and I'm sorry for everything I have ever said to you but something happened at the airport, something bad." The voice hiccupped. "I need your help. Henry needs your help." A sniffled was heard and then a loud thud. "Regina, please."

* * *

The days had been long and tiresome since the curse had been broken; a testament to spending most of those days on the run. The woman was exhausted despite the magic that coursed through her veins, the dark magic and fairy dust creating a tumultuous war in her body. Desperately, for minutes, for hours, she struggled to exhaust herself, to rid herself of the enchantments – disintegrating and reintegrating through ought the town at all hours of the day, even going as far as to do the most mundane tasks with a burst of magic.

_"To be honest Regina, I don't think Emma has to run anything by you."_

The statement had only confirmed what she feared, not quite ready to face the truth just yet except there was no time like the present. _She was no longer a mother_. Though Hook established himself quite well in the small town in the absence of his nemesis, her mother was an entirely different story – she herself only speaking to the woman once before barring her from her home though she held no qualms about her mother's activities.

The lack of sleep, proper nutrition, and the insufferable amount of all sorts of magic boiling just beneath the surface led the former mayor to disintegrate and reintegrate in the confines of her home knowing she would not make it much further than the plush couch in her living room.

Unconsciousness began to tug at her mind, though she doubted she would be able to truly reach a deep slumber without the help of alcohol. With one eye open she flicked a finger and lifted the decanter in the air and removed the lid, her precise task interrupted by the shrill ringing of the house phone. _Who could it possibly be now?_

Pulling the now full tumbler through the air she lifted half of her body onto the pillows and threw an arm over her face. Only as the voices filtered through the machine her emotions were quickly thrown for a roller-coaster – Henry's voice tugging at her heart strings and Emma's voice and plea igniting only the anger and fire she could.

_Did Emma truly believe that she would be able to go very far without raising suspicion? It took me three long weeks of rushed paperwork and an insufferable sum paid to procure my son, did she honestly believe that she would be able to remove her son from the town let alone across borders? Of course she did, it ran in the family. _

"End of new messages." The machine fell silent despite the flashing red light mocking her; reminding her of a time where she once took beating hearts mercilessly – her own now many miles away with the boy she had cared for for ten years.

Tiredly she pulled herself to her feet and made her way over to the side table, tapping the 'play' button with one finger. "You have two new voice mails, first new voice mail…" Regina stood there for a few moments, analyzing the tone and enunciation of each message trying to figure out what predicament they had found themselves in. One could only imagine the sort of trouble her son and his birth mother could find on their own, never mind the wicked man who took them along on this journey in the first place.

Try as she might to deny it, her son needed her. Taking a large gulp from the tumbler she winced as she realized the temperature of the once cool liquid was near scalding no thanks in part to her obscene magic.

There would never quite be a better time to acknowledge Snow White's incompetence for forcing her out of the position of Mayor, she could only imagine what the foolish girl would do with the mounting bills and taxes she was sure had gone unpaid to the state of Maine. Only on paper did she remain Mayor of the small town of Storybrooke and she sure as hell was going to use that to her advantage, _maybe after a small nap_.


	3. Chapter III

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **III**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **March 08th, 2013 through March 24th, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Mature

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two, Episode 13 'Tiny' and Episode 14 'Manhattan'

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s). This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

In one foul swoop Regina Mills could have easily gained a slew of the many things she had spent decades dreaming about, wishing for, _hell_, she even enacted a horrible curse in a feeble attempt to gain what she had so desperately desired, _needed_. Except as easy as it could have been, after all she was no stranger to the consequences of her actions, she needed time to think long and hard about what she had to do – time she did not have.

The sun had begun its descent into the western skies leaving behind a cluster of dark threatening clouds compounded by a biting chill. With her phone tucked safely in the palm of her hand the former mayor of Storybrooke leaned against her Mercedes-Benz, booted legs crossed at the ankles. By the urgency carried in their left voice mails there was no doubt in her mind that her little love and his birth mother had found themselves in serious trouble; trouble she was sure had something to do with his legal status in relation to the blonde woman. Only now the question remained; would, _could_ she do right by her son and save his beloved birth mother?

There had only been a handful of times that she had personally dealt with the 'outside' world and only over the span of the three weeks it took to procure her son not to mention the various investors and business men she had hosted over the years as her reign as mayor. Whether the situation had snowballed to involve a serious chain of government authorities had yet to be seen but she had no pause in her belief that she would be able to infiltrate the building and retrieve her son without any serious repercussions on their behalf. Only if she made the selfish choice to whisk her son away leaving behind Emma Swan, well, she might as well have not gone through the trouble at all.

The number both mother and son had dialed from had read restricted, there was no use in alerting anyone of her impending arrival least it throw a wrench into her ever evolving plans. Yet despite the lack of a concrete plan of action she knew she would need to obtain a few personal items that belonged to the sheriff, because along with a healthy dose of magically created accessories and authentic-looking paperwork (while she still had the magic available) she may be able to save Emma Swan just yet.

_What luck to be dealing with the two idiots on one day_, she thought. In an effort to get moving she had forgone the nap her body so desperately needed, the alcohol had long been burned up by the fairy dust and dark magic – she could only imagine what would happen to her body the moment she crossed the town border.

Opening the trunk of her car she insured her own luggage had been properly stored along with a half empty duffel bag; one could never be too careful with erratic magic. Sliding into the vehicle she glanced at the backseat where she had hand placed her leather briefcase containing the legal paperwork she had no doubt she would need to prove her rights to her own son. _What a mess._

* * *

"You need _what_?!"

_No. Of course nothing could be as simple as just waltzing into the Charming household and asking politely for what she needed. _"I will not repeat myself."

"No, absolutely not!" The pixie haired woman growled. "You may not have been guilty for murdering Archie, but I refuse to give you anything more!"

The older woman sighed and shifted her weight in her boots, turning her gaze to the only man in the room. "David?"

"Charming!"

David eyed his wife tiredly before gesturing to Regina. "Why?"

"You aren't actually considering her request are you? After all she's done?" His wife was flabbergasted.

It was clear that when the door opened to the apartment the couple had spent the afternoon canoodling, cooing and holding each other close. The woman had only waited but a moment before side-stepping the couple and entering the apartment, turning on a heel and simply asked to obtain a few of their daughter's belongings, perhaps she _demanded_ but then again – _a moot point_.

David held up a hand to silence his wife before repeating his question once more, concern trumping his wife's outrage.

"It appears as though your foolish daughter and _my_ son have found themselves in a mess of trouble."

"What? What kind of trouble?" Snow advanced towards Regina only to have the woman in question take a step back, not keen on being manhandled by this particular family ever again.

"Unfortunately neither party was able to elaborate," she sarcastically replied. "I will not ask again and seeing as if I am to rescue my son and by default your oh-so-pompous daughter, I will need what I have requested, immediately."

"We have to go! We need to save them!" Snow immediately sprang into action, bustling around the apartment with no clear direction save for the wide-spread panic gripping her. "Charming! Come on! Emma could be hurt and Henry, oh our sweet boy!"

Except David did not move choosing to hold the former evil queen's gaze, the gears in his head turning.

"Charming!" Snow whined, shaking his shoulder. The man did not move leading Snow to ultimately follow his gaze before advancing towards Regina, arms outstretched. "You wicked woman! What are you doing to him?!"

"That is enough!" Though David was quick to intervene catching Snow's arm as she raised it to physically strike the older woman, he was not quick enough for the witch not to feel threatened, watching as she dissipated in a fog of purple smoke.

"Charming!" Snow wrestled her arm away from him, tears dotting her lashes. "How could you do such a thing?"

"Upon arrival and of retrieving my son, I will be sure to inform your daughter that her parents were unwilling to cooperate in such a measly task, and quite frankly are to blame _yet again_ for her involuntary departure." The couple whipped around to find the woman leaning against the doorframe, examining her nails, a smirk on her lips. "I bid you a good evening."

"Wait!"

"Regina, no!"

Regina could not help but gleefully grin as she turned her back and moved to begin her descent down the flight of stairs. Cocking her head she paused and leered at them out of the corner of her eye; asking three different times was more than enough. _Being 'good' is overrated_. David leaned over and whispered something in his wife's ear before Snow demurely moved through the apartment, gathering what she deemed appropriate keeping a watchful eye on the former mayor.

"Regina?" David slowly approached her, careful to appear as non-threatening as possible.

"David." Regina turned around and resumed her position in the doorway.

"Emma and Henry, are they all right?"

"You would know about as much I do since I take it neither have contacted you. I am going to need any legal documents your daughter may have as well as a copy of their flight information and itinerary."

"This may sound like a stupid question and forgive me for asking but how exactly do you know they are in trouble then, and how exactly do you plan to save them if no one can cross the town line without losing their memory?"

"Stupid question indeed, may I?" She gestured into the apartment, David nodded and stepped back allowing Regina entrance once more. "An hour ago they each left voicemails asking of my help. I am going to assume the worst case scenario in that Ms. Swan in particular has found herself in trouble regarding her status pertaining to my son."

"Emma is his mother!" Snow spat as she entered the room once more.

"That she may be," Regina did not rise to take the bait. "Yet while this town is run according to Charming law and order, there is a much different world beyond that orange spray painted line. A world where they do in fact acknowledge that I am your grandsons' only, legal mother and they see Ms. Swan as a delinquent birth mother who gave away her rights to her son in hopes for a better future."

Her nemesis inhaled deeply, the older woman's chastising turning her mood demur awfully quick.

"If my assumptions are correct based on the information you supplied earlier," Regina rose a hand as she spoke, one finger lazily tracing through the air effectively removing the items the younger woman held in her arms allowing them to magically float through the air. "Ruling out the impossibility of phone call onboard a flight, I am to assume they placed their calls from the nearest airport barring they encountered a serious accident on the road."

The couple held their breath as the witch thoroughly glanced at the items to insure their usefulness in her retrieval before grouping the objects in a tight bundle. "If you would be able to provide me with another set of clothes and the documents I need, I shall be on my way."

It was David who moved off through the apartment this time, Snow choosing to hold her ground as she intensely searched the woman's face for any hint of a malicious intent. "Why?"

"Why what, my dear?"

"Why are you going through all this trouble if this could be your one chance to get rid of Emma?"

"If I truly wanted to get rid of Ms. Swan, I could have decimated your entire family the moment magic returned to Storybrooke."

"Then why didn't you?"

"You may not understand my reasons but do understand this; I love my son more than you could possibly understand, I would lose so much more in ridding the world of you and your family and that I will not stand for…not again."

"You still haven't answered one question," David entered the room and handing Regina a manila folder. "How do you plan to save them if no one is able to cross the town border without losing their memory? We all saw what happened to Belle."

Satisfied with the acquired belongings the witch glanced up at the couple, "You may or may not remember but eleven years ago a little boy was brought to this town and despite the curse, grew up to the boy we know today."

"I thought Gold -" Snow was abruptly cut off.

"Gold did nothing but manipulate those he deemed necessary, seeing as I was the caster of the curse, _not the maker_, I have always been able to cross the town line. After all I did bring Henry home myself."

"Do you have everything you need to bring our daughter home?" David asked.

"Almost," Regina muttered, arching an eyebrow at Snow. The woman in question squeaked before entering Emma's room once more and finding her favorite red jacket, wife beater, and jeans. Out of the corner of her eye she caught the baby blanket Emma often washed monthly and neatly folded at the foot of her bed. Despite the mothering instinct that wanted to keep this item to herself, Snow took a deep breath and nodded, tucking the blanket above the clothes.

If Regina noticed the sentimental item with the saviors' name stitched into the soft white fabric she gave no indication; with all her items in the safety of her hands or magic she made to take her leave. _Finally_.

"Regina," David called as the woman entered the stairwell. "Can you find a way to let us know if they are alright?"

The former queen only cocked her head before regally descending the stairs.


	4. Chapter IV

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **IV**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **March 24th, 2013 through April 08th, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Mature

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two, Episode 13 'Tiny' and Episode 14 'Manhattan'

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s). This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

It had taken a _staggering _forty-five minutes to acquire his delectable treat; the young boy had watched in horror as the woman before him bought the last confectionery roll sitting in the tray. The young woman behind the counter caught his wide-eyed look and smiled.

"If you are able to wait about ten more minutes, a new batch will be right out, and trust me, those are the best!"

With patience one could learn by being Regina Mills' child, he had waited and was well rewarded in ten minutes time. Once the cinnamon treat was in his hand, Henry eagerly dove in, happily stuffing his cheeks. It was only as he turned around did he realize the destruction that had taken place around him.

The passengers that were able to spare their undivided attention were firmly affixed in a semi-circle around the holding area; mouths' agape, mother's shielding their children's view with their hands. Overturned tables and plastic bins littered the area, flashing red alarms and shrill sirens only added to the chaos of the scene. With his cinnamon roll clutched to his chest, quite honestly most of it was stuffed in his cheeks; Henry pushed his way through the throng of people in search of his travel companions.

It took a few moments of elbowing and pushing his way through motionless bodies but as he popped free into an open area, his mouth soon mimicked those of the other shocked patrons. The neatly dressed business man that had once stood impatiently behind them in the security line now lay sprawled on the carped floor, immobile. Joining him in his distressed state were the two security agents who had smiled at him as he had passed through the metal detector, now leaning on the remaining upright furniture groaning in pain.

"Henry!" The boy turned in time to be engulfed in a tight hug, a mess of blonde hair swimming in his vision. "Are you hurt?"

Emma slowly leaned back, eyes darting about and hands following suit, scouring for any injuries. Henry shook his head before cheekily smiling and holding up the white and blue box.

"Cinnabon!"

Emma spluttered, letting out the breath of air she had been holding. "Of course, food. Regina would have killed me if something happened to you." The latter muttered more to herself than anything.

"Where is Mr. Gold?" Henry swallowed the last pieces he had stuffed in his cheeks before looking around Emma.

"Who do you think caused all of this chaos?" Emma shook her head and turned to face the destruction.

An eerie hush fell over the terminal before it once again descended into madness; Emma placed a hand on Henry's shoulder, carefully eyeing the scene. A handful of security agents appeared from behind one of the false dividers, struggling to subdue their prisoner in a vain attempt to move him into a secure location.

"Mr. Gold?" Henry stepped towards the snarling man.

"Ms. Swan!" Gold growled, despite the men pulling him every which way.

"Henry, come here." The boy squeaked in surprise before hiding behind Emma as the wicked man growled and reared against his human captors, catching an unlucky security agents' hand in his teeth.

"Dispatch, do you copy?" Henry looked up to find the officer who had helped him scan his video game now stood next to him, surveying the scene and speaking to his radio. "Confirming the earlier report of a 245, please be advised 11-99, 11-99. The suspect is resisting arrest. 10-23."

"Ms. Swan! We had a deal!" Emma watched in horror as Gold opened his mouth, revealing his bloody teeth and quite possibly a chunk of flesh from yet another officer screaming in pain. "You must find my son!"

"Folks, move along. There is nothing to see here!" The officer began to dispel the crowd. "Let's go! This area is now closed!"

Except as the crowd began to move around her and Henry slipped his hand into hers, Emma found herself rooted to the spot eyes locked with those of the evil man; it was as if he had become his true self in this land without magic.

"You will do as I ask of you Ms. Swan," he called, tilting his head and grinning. "If not I will find you and your boy and _destroy you_, if it is the last thing I do." He began to laugh despite the now excessive force the security agents were now using to wrestle him to the ground.

"Ma'am, do you know this man?" Once the officer had thoroughly dispersed the crowd to his satisfaction, he approached the still pair. "Ma'am?"

Henry looked up at still woman, shaking her hand. "Emma?"

"Huh?" Emma blinked and looked at the officer. "We need to go."

"Ma'am, would you like to press charges?"

"No, I'm sorry but we have a flight to catch." Emma turned on her heel, quickly moving towards the boarding gate. Refusing to let go of her hand Henry struggled to keep up, casting a forlorn look at their former traveling companion and the officer.

* * *

Though she had crossed the border at different intervals during this lifetime, the anxious feeling in the pit of her stomach gave the former queen great pause. It would be different this time; there was no doubt about that. Whereas before there was only a whisper of magic to her being now her core was comprised of magic, coursing through her veins, and exuding from every pore. There was no telling what would happen to her. Beyond the dark forest of Storybrooke the sky met in a contrast of yellows, pinks, purples, and blues – time was of the essence.

The Mercedes-Benz idled only a fraction from the boundary line, her heeled foot tapping on the pedals. The former mayor was no fool; if she truly thoroughly searched her rearview mirror she would find the trio of Snow White, her fool of a husband, and the lamely leashed wolf girl poorly concealed in the woods.

When she first made the decision to cross the line nearly twenty-nine years ago, _just to prove that she could_, she had simply stepped forward and smiled when the vision of Storybrooke changed to that of an unending road. Now twenty-nine years later she would not be able to simply step across the line and back, she only had one shot.

Sliding her hand across the wheel and to the gear selector, she stepped on the brake pedal and shifted the gears.

_Oh, stop being so scared of a barrier Regina!_

With that thought she furiously stomped on the gas pedal and took a deep breath and closed her eyes and waited until she felt the magical ripple around her before stomping on the brake. Once she was sure that she had neither crashed or was forcefully ejected _back_ into Storybrooke, Regina slowly opened her eyes and released the breath she had been holding.

_Of course nothing happened. _

It was then that she felt the unbearable ache that had been quick to replace the butterflies of nervousness in the pit of her stomach, and in a matter of seconds it had grown in a sickening intensity before engulfing her entire body. With a last rational thought her fingers fluttered painfully over the gear selector before her body arched painfully. The witch fought to stay conscious despite the excess magic being forcefully ripped from her body, from every blood vessel and never ending.

_I should have made a greater effort to expel that ridiculous dark magic and fairy dust_.

Perhaps it could have been a matter of seconds or minutes, and honestly it did not matter, for the damage had been done. Regina fought to deeply breathe despite the bile rising in her throat and the remnants of pain coursing through her body.

_Come on, find the strength_, she chanted to herself. _Do it for Henry, do it for Emma if you have to. _

Weakly she pushed herself up in the seat before flicking open the visor mirror and groaning. The toll the magic had taken was evident; perhaps to the casual observer she would appear to be on deaths' doorstep, only it was far more excruciating in reality and not nearly as peaceful. Any and all color she had left to her skin was gone; her eyes, while a deep shade of violet she hoped would fade in a matter of hours, were now far more pronounced due in part to the gauntness of her face. The culmination of terrible circumstances had clearly eaten away at her muscle tissue in an attempt to wreak havoc on her body, her fingers and wrists nearly too thin to hold her ring and watch in place. Gazing at the mirror once more she eyed a suspicious curtain of brunette hair now cascading over her shoulder and the headrest; plucking a strand and holding it away from her body she rolled her eyes.

_You can always count on fairy dust for a generous helping of beauty. _

Glancing at her hands, a part of her wondered if the world outside of Storybrooke was truly a world without magic. She was almost sure she could feel her magic pulsing _just_ beneath the surface, but she couldn't be sure. Stepping on the brake pedal once more, Regina shifted the gears and allowed the vehicle to slowly roll as she gathered her wits about her before stepping on the gas and beginning the journey out of Storybrooke. The densely wooded area soon became a blur as she made her way through the winding roads before finding the highway.

Holding up a copy of Emma's ticket information and itinerary in the fading light, she confirmed her destination. _Augusta, Maine_. _Here goes nothing_.


	5. Chapter V

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **V**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **April 08th, 2013 through April 22nd, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Mature

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two, Episode 13 'Tiny' and Episode 14 'Manhattan'

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s), including but not limited to character(s) 'Detective Vanessa Wright' who belong(s) solely to the author. This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

_What in the world is going on?_

The question had telepathically bounced from mother to son several times within the last hour alone. In hindsight it might have been a stupid decision to follow Gold's demand after his rather violent assault on the airport staff, not to mention a foolish thought to believe that they would be able to scrape by unaffected.

"This is so cool!" Henry had grinned at her as they took their seats in first class.

Even Emma had to admit that traveling on Gold's expense was a _nice_ change of pace; only she could not relax, the feeling of impending doom confirmed as she caught sight of a gaggle of security agents boarding the flight. _There is nowhere to go_, Emma's heart pounded and her cheeks burned. Her instinct to flee was strong; her eyes darted to the only entrance of the plane as the group stopped at their seats.

"Ms. Emma Swan, Mr. Henry Mills we need you to come with us."

The pair were led off the plane in humiliation, there things in the hands of security, before they were taken and placed in a rather sparse holding room containing a two-way mirror, without so much as an explanation – _and that had been over an hour ago_.

"Kid," Emma said slowly, never taking her eyes off of the mirror. "Unless we are taken out back and shot, we should be allowed to have one phone call each."

"Uh-huh," Henry had adopted her open-legged sitting position, while smashing the buttons of his console.

"We need to get ahold of your mother."

"Oh?" Henry glanced at her.

"Who else is going to get us out of this mess?"

"What about-"

Emma placed a finger to her lips. "Think about it Henry and not another word until you do."

Henry said nothing; he bowed his head and gnawed his lip in concentration, his eyes unfocused not truly watching the colorful graphics that flashed across the screen. Despite a brave face, he had to admit to himself that he was homesick and scared, and had been for quite some time. It had been an exciting adventure to bring his birth mother to Storybrooke and break the Evil Queen's curse, despite a full calendar year of intense therapy sessions and essentially told he wasn't quite right in the head. Only this was not an adventure of his choosing, the unknown loomed before him, and there wasn't a storybook to guide his way. "She's going to be mad," he whispered.

"Furious."

Henry kicked at the floor; he had never seen his birth mother this upset. The blonde woman was supposed to be the savior, his hero in particular. This adventure was no longer fun and all he wanted was to do was go home. A home where his adoptive mother reigned and made him the best home-cooked meals, and actually bought him comic books he did not own, _unlike David_.

"She used to love me."

"Really?" Emma looked over at him sharply. "Are you and I talking about the same woman?"

Henry chose to not reply. "I haven't been nice to her."

"No, you haven't." Emma knew her words stung but she pressed on. "If you ask me, you and I both know she is only one of two people who is able to do what she does."

The chrome door suddenly swung open, the door knob hitting the wall behind it. A security guard stepped into the room and motioned to them, "You are allowed to make one phone call each."

"You first, kid." Emma patted his back and raised an eyebrow, conveying her thoughts. Henry nodded seriously, as if on a mission.

The security guard glanced at Emma before latching the door closed, and as the minutes passed her hope grew. _Come on Regina,_ Emma chanted. With one of the two most powerful beings in Storybrooke this side of the line, Regina was their only hope.

* * *

Impressively, Regina had driven a quarter of a mile before the nausea had reached an unbearable level, forcing her to pull off to the side of the road and stagger out into the thick foliage before emptying the minuscule contents of her stomach.

Taking a shuddering breath she stumbled back towards the vehicle and opened the trunk, finding a half of a bottle of water and rinsing her mouth. There was no doubt about it now, if her body wasn't tired before, it was now screaming for a good night's sleep. Closing her eyes, she knew she had to find the strength to continue on, _somewhere_. Despite the dropping temperatures of Maine, Regina shrugged out of her trench coat and threw the offending garment into the trunk's depths before unzipping her tight skirt and hiking it up a few inches.

_This outfit is not conducive for any means of traveling_, she admitted. Dropping herself back into the front seat, she slammed the door closed, and started the engine, resuming her journey. With several excruciating hours of travel before her, she began to plot out the exact details of rescuing Ms. Emma Swan. It had been over an hour since she left Storybrooke; and gone were the thick brush of towering trees and winding roads giving way to a never-ending highway filled with sporadic eighteen-wheelers and commercial trucks. The moment she was able to lock the Mercedes-Benz into cruise control, her hand shifted through her briefcase to find the folder containing her sheriff's documents.

_Blah, blah, blah_. In truth, most of the documents were public or the very least, something she had acquired during her tenure as mayor, no thanks in part to Sydney Glass. _Now this is interesting_. Chocolate eyes flickered between the legal document in her hand and the road; an arrest report from 2002 stating the exact circumstances of a then seventeen year old Emma Swan crime. It was not something she had been able to obtain nearly a year ago. _Well then_.

* * *

"Ms. Emma Swan, let us go over this again, shall we?"

The woman in question scowled before leaning back in the hard metal chair, and shoving her hands into the pockets of her jacket. "I have already told you everything you wanted to know."

"Humor me," the woman replied. Emma did not take kindly to this answer and simply stared at the woman who had introduced herself as Detective Vanessa Wright. Glancing at the barren walls, Emma had no way of knowing just how much time had passed since her granted phone call; she had only but a moment to take in her son's sullen look, either Regina did not answer or she flat out refused to help; perhaps a twisted way to teach her son a lesson. Only as she dialed and listened, the mansion phone rang for quite some times ultimately the machine taking her call instead.

Despite her frustration, Emma wiped away her tears and remained steadfast in her hope, _she had to_. The logical part of her had questioned her desperate need to believe that Regina would be the one to save them, and do the right thing, _if she even received our messages_. Yet it seemed like the appropriate thing to do; her parents were not the brightest light bulbs in the packaging, steadfast in their beliefs that 'true love' was the end all to solve all, and that no matter what their ways were correct. Good vs. Old. Fairytale Land vs. Storybrooke.

Emma had been preoccupied with her thoughts, enough so to not notice the different route her escorting officer had taken. It was only when the sound of a door opening drew her attention, her eyes flickering up and taking in the new room. Henry was nowhere in sight.

"Your son is in another room." The officer held up a hand to stop her as she turned on him.

"Why?"

The officer shrugged in response and motioned for her to step back into the room. It was obvious that this was a formal interrogation room, complete with a metal table, two chairs, a two-way mirror, and a security camera.

"I see here from your itinerary that you are traveling to New York, is that correct?"

The question drew Emma back into the present. "It is."

"For what purpose?"

Emma sighed, "I was employed by Mr. Gold, the man you took in to custody earlier, to locate something that belonged to him."

"Something?"

"His son."

"You're a private investigator then."

"No." Emma chose to not to elaborate much to the hard-nosed woman's displeasure.

"It says here that you are from Storybrooke, Maine." Detective Wright squinted at the paperwork in front of her. "What do you do in such a _small_ town?"

"I'm the town sheriff."

"Interesting." The woman leafed through the pages, effectively pulling them out of order. "Can you tell me from your point of view the actions that led to Mr. Gold, let us put it this way, _snapping_, and attacking a passenger and airport staff, leading to the several lacerations, broken bones, _oh_, and let us not forget the passenger who is now listed in critical condition in the ICU?" she rambled on.

Emma's eyes widened, _this is not going to be an easy thing to explain. _"He's never been on a plane before." The statement sounded weak even to her own ears. "You know, nerves."

"You do understand that many people who come through this airport have not flown before and do not viciously assault a group of people."

Emma only shrugged, unsure of what the woman wanted her to say.

"Eyewitness reports state that a young blonde woman did all she possibly could to detain the deranged suspect before she herself was impaled by the man's cane."

Now that the detective mentioned it and her adrenaline had receded, the bruised area had begun to throb.

"I have found no wrong doing on your part; this is a rather airtight case of assault with a deadly weapon, even without Mr. Gold's statement." Detective Wright closed the manila folder. "Perhaps you would be able to provide a more an in-depth answer as to why the man who viciously attacked several people is now sitting in a holding rocking back and forth, and muttering to himself."

"Oh?" Emma glanced up. "Did you remove his scarf?"

"Why?"

"He tends to be a bit protective of that item." Emma snickered.

"It is mandatory policy that we remove any and all items a possible mental patient may use to harm himself."

Emma nodded and stood. "I'm sure he will be fine in no time, now, am I free to go?"

"Yes." The Detective did not move to see Emma out, instead opening another manila folder. "Ms. Swan, one more question?"

Emma inwardly sighed and released the door handle from her grip and turned around. "Would you like to explain to me as to why your son, Henry Mills was it, is currently not in the custody of his adoptive mother?"

"Excuse me?" Emma stared down the woman; her air of arrogance was annoying, if not repulsive. The matted down and pinned down hairstyle and tightly fitted suit only gave off the impression that she was a tightly wound woman, clearly trying to fit into a male dominated profession.

"I talked to Henry myself only moments before I made my way here, and he told me some very interesting things." Wright thumbed through a yellow leafed tablet, dark ink scribbled across the pages. "He informed me that my suspicions, as well as one of our ticket agents', were indeed correct. Have a seat Ms. Swan."


	6. Chapter VI

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **VI**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **April 22nd, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Mature

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two, Episode 13 'Tiny' and Episode 14 'Manhattan'

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s), including but not limited to character(s) 'Detective Vanessa Wright' and 'Social Worker Winifred Payne' whom belong solely to the author. This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

_Fuck. _Emma returned to the metal chair and roughly pushed the seat back before sitting in it, crossing her arms over her chest.

"How about you tell me just how you came into Henry Mills' life? Paint me a nice, _big_ picture if you would." Wright seemed quite pleased with herself, the cat who caught the mouse. "You see, Henry told me this grand tale of adventure starting with his quest to find you and bring you back to Storybrooke to break a horrible curse cast by the Evil Queen, who he believes is his own mother! You see I find that accusation hard to believe because I have found no evidence of physical or psychological abuse, yet he paints me such a terrible picture. I'm sure you understand."

Wright mimicked Emma's posture, and grinned. "The woman is either the monster he claims she is, or has raised a spoiled, brat of a child, who would much rather do what he wants to do with someone who is willing to let him get away with it and that is where you come in. I'm inclined to believe the latter seeing as he holds one of the latest gaming consoles on the market and happens to have one pair of polished Italian dress shoes in his luggage. You just so happen to be the fun and exciting birth mother who saves him from his terrible world of vegetable consumption and early bedtimes. Tell me Ms. Swan, am I right?"

* * *

_Eyes on the road, Regina._

The clock on the dashboard announced yet another minute had passed. Another minute farther from Storybrooke, and yet another minute closer to finding her son. It wouldn't be much longer now. As the miles ticked by, signs of civilization began to appear. Her stomach had growled when she spotted the bright lights of a burger joint but refused to stop; once her son was safely in her embrace, then could she possibly rest.

Gripping the steering wheel in her clammy hands, she forced herself to keep her eyes open and press on. The trip had been agonizing, even riding through lands and mountain ranges on horseback had never been quite this exhausting. If leaving Storybrooke and a mix of fairy dust and dark magic left her feeling this debilitated and drained, she wasn't keen on reentering the town any time soon. Rescuing her son was worth the trouble, even if she had the misfortune of having to rescue his birth mother as well. _Perhaps Henry and I could travel the world for a while. _

The folder contained all of the sheriff's legal documents laid tossed aside on the passenger seat. The former mayor had absorbed as much research and information as she possibly could. Her plan was a _stretch_, and even that was the understatement of the year, yet she had no doubt she would be able to execute it perfectly. The only foreseeable problem laid with the two unknowing players in this game, and she wouldn't have much time, if any at all, to relay her plan. Granted with an outfit change, and the welcome boost of a long feminine mane, she could make any man _or woman_ fall to their knees.

Only with two unpredictably players she was afraid it would all fall apart even before she had the chance to play a hero.

* * *

"Emma Swan, you are under arrest."

The woman in question could only watch in horror as the Detective stood and unclipped a set of handcuffs from her belt and moved around the table. Snapping the cuff tightly around Emma's right wrist, Wright forced her to her feet.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you. Do you understand?"

"Would you care to inform me on what exactly the charges are?" Emma glared at the woman in the two-way mirror.

"I believe I have enough evidence to charge you with the kidnapping of a minor, not to mention an extenuating circumstance of intent to travel across state lines."

"You can't do this!" Emma struggled against the handcuffs but it was a futile effort.

"I can and will do this, Ms. Swan. What you cannot do is kidnap a woman's son without her express permission, not to mention that the fact that it was a closed adoption – a detail you disclosed yourself!"

Emma closed her eyes and painfully groaned as the Detective threw an elbow into her back and forced the blonde's upper body onto the table.

"You need to stop arresting arrest or I will add it to your list of charges."

Emma growled but ceased all movement; she was going to murder their son the moment she was able to get her hands on him, no matter how long it took – _sorry Regina_. If only Henry had kept his mouth shut, she could have found a way out of this, could have salvaged the situation, but no. There was no way of knowing how long she spent trying to put their chaotic situation in a positive light, it might have been minutes or hours, but she knew it was a futile effort. The Detective had her mind made up from the very beginning despite her protests – Henry Mills was a very sick child with delusions of grandiosity and persecution whose mother had been very strong throughout the process of finding her adopted son professional help, only Emma was the birth mother who had intruded upon his stable home life and treatment for his own personal gain, ultimately kidnapping him.

"Come on, let's go." Detective Wright hauled the Storybrooke Sheriff up and off the table, before opening the door and leading her out.

Hearing the tale of her journey over the last year recanted to her in such a blatant manner, Emma gained her other half's perspective. It did not matter if the curse truly existed or not, nor did the selfish reasons truly matter; Regina had a maternal instinct and drive that she did not have, Regina was a mother, and a better one at that. Only in this world, a world she grew up in for twenty-eight years; magic does not exist, fairytales are only that, fairytales. And on pen and paper, Emma was the villain in this story.

* * *

The sun had set on Maine. Fortunately for her, Emma, and their son, this was not to be a Cinderella tale although the clock had yet to strike midnight. Regina Mills was exhausted, starved, and in a dire need of a bath but nevertheless she had not come this far to be left empty handed, either without her child or impulsive other half.

The light of the airport glowed around her, giving her the rush of adrenaline she needed. Entering the long-term parking structure of the airport, she eased the vehicle into a dark spot. There was not a moment to lose now. Quickly packing away the lose documents into her briefcase; she placed the bag along with her purse onto the dashboard before sliding herself into the backseat.

Collapsing the middle seat and reaching through the trunk, the witch pulled out the half empty duffle bag. Shrugging out of her red dress shirt, panty house, and knee high boots she began the process of slipping into the mayor persona with just a dose of the Evil Queen.

* * *

"Emma, Emma, what's going on?"

_Oh god._ This was the last thing she wanted Henry to see. The blonde woman stumbled as her son tore away from the old woman who had held him by the shoulder, and barreled into her waist.

"What's happening?"

"Henry, come along." The unknown woman approached the boy again, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Who are you? Get away from him." Emma snarled desperate to shield him with her body.

The woman turned up her nose and sneered, "My name is Winifred Payne, and I'm a social worker from Augusta County assigned to little Henry here."

"No! No! No!" Memories she had long ago forgotten, pain she had long ago buried hit her like a freight train. Any kind of a social worker spelled trouble. "You can't do this! He has a mother!" Emma cried. Detective Wright laid a firm hand on Emma's bicep, ripping her away from her son.

"Unfortunately we have been unable to reach Ms. Mills at this time. I am sure it is passed his bedtime, therefore I will be taking him to a group home for the time being until we are able to locate Ms. Mills."

"No," Emma gasped. Forcibly dropping to her knees in front of Henry, tears began to cloud her vision and she sniffled. "Kid, listen to me, no matter what happens, I will always love you."

"Emma, what's going to happen? I don't understand." Henry wrapped his arms around her neck.

"Henry, listen to me. I am not your mother."

"Yes you are!" he protested.

"No I am not!" she shook her head. "Henry, this isn't Storybrooke. There are rules here, rules that are taken seriously with serious punishments. I gave you up for adoption when I was seventeen, for a reason."

"But your my mom," Henry reasoned.

"I will always be your _birth_ mom," Emma nodded her head. "Regina gave you everything I couldn't have, Henry; she is your real mom. I've made a mistake, Henry, you belong with her."

Henry fell silent as Detective Wright wrestled Emma onto her feet and away from him. The social worker was quick to snatch the boy into her grip.

"You'll come back to Storybrooke, right?" Henry hiccupped.

"I'll try." Emma wearily smiled.

"Unless you are of relation to my son, I suggest you unhand him immediately."

Despite her distorted center of gravity and the bruising grip held on her forearm, Emma haphazardly whipped around as the command cut through the air, her jaw dropping in shock. Henry looked up from his hands, tears immediately drying.

"Mom?!"

"Regina?"

The group of gathered people soon mimicked Emma's action, their eyes taking in the approaching woman. There in fact was the former mayor of Storybrooke strutting down the stark hallway in an air only a true queen could own. With a black trench coat wrapped snuggly around her thin frame, Emma caught sight of a familiar cerulean blue peeking out near her chest. The blonde mood rapidly changed as she bit her lip, eyes trailing down the expansive flesh of legs ending in black peep toe heels. Emma lifted her head and met Regina's eyes and could not help but cheekily smile.

Henry pushed off the social workers' arm and ran past Emma, before launching himself at his adoptive mother; with practiced ease Regina caught him and despite her exhaustion, lifted him up and settled her boy onto her hip. Henry wrapped his arms and legs around her and buried his head into her neck, "I thought you weren't going to come!" he whispered in her ear.

"Are you okay?" she whispered back, running a hand through his hair.

Henry nodded. "I'm hungry mommy."

"Of course you are, dear."

"Emma," Henry whined as he looked back at his birth mother who watched the scene, crestfallen, as if her fate was now sealed. "You have to save her!"

"Do you think I would have come all this way just to bring you home?" Regina asked seriously. "I'm afraid you wouldn't love me anymore if I did that." At this Henry's face fell, momentarily recognizing the harm his actions have caused. "I'm going to need your help," Regina kissed his nose and Henry eagerly nodded.

Regina shifted her son onto the opposite hip and slowly advanced towards the group, ensuring that she met each person's eyes with a steely stare.

_I thought there wasn't magic here, she floating_. Emma quite frankly was in awe as Regina glided towards her, _not to mention carrying their son_. Stopping in front of Emma, time seemed to stop. Reaching out a hand and placing it on Emma's cheek, Regina sweetly smiled as her sheriff instinctively nuzzled into the offered limb.

"Would someone like to inform me as to why _my fiancée_ is in handcuffs?"


	7. Chapter VII

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **VII**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **May 12th, 2013 through May 14th, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Mature

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s), including but not limited to character(s) 'Detective Vanessa Wright' and 'Social Worker Winifred Payne' whom belong solely to the author. This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated. I was blown away by the amount of reviews for the last chapter, you are all amazing! I am so grateful you enjoy this story. The premise of this story, including the engagement plot, were conceived in February of 2013; a reviewer posted the plot about two chapters ahead of time, and I only wanted to make it clear that I am not appropriating someone else's idea and that in no way, was this a spontaneous occurrence.

* * *

A bomb had been detonated.

There would be a time in the not-so-distant future when the small family of three would be able to sit down in a downtown bistro in New York, hot cocoa and green tea at hand, and toast to the hilarity that was this exact moment, but that day was not today. Despite the chain reaction of absurdity, horror, and shock, the Mills family remained stoic in the aftermath. Their son kept his limbs firmly wrapped around his mother, waiting for her cues. The mayor held herself steady, chocolate eyes narrowed, and her red lips pursed, her fingers softly caressing the cheek of the woman before her. On the other hand the sheriff was the picture of speechlessness, her emerald eyes were as wide as fine china tea saucers, and though her pretty mouth was agape, not a sound was heard.

"Who are you?" a rough, female voice asked.

Though the shock had yet to fully wear off at the brunette's proclamation, birth mother and son simultaneously rolled their eyes.

_They are in for it now_, Emma thought.

"If you will excuse me, my _dear_," a smirk crossed her face as she caught the action, cheekily thumping the blonde on the nose with her index finger. Emma could not help but smile at the silly action as Regina drew herself up to her full height, tightened her jaw, and held their son tighter to her body. Although her own emotions were all over the place, Emma could not deny how wondrous the feeling of relief felt. Granted she was sure all but a minute ago that she would spend the next four years of her life in another jail cell, though when she caught Regina's eye, she knew the woman had a plan. Granted, _fiancée?_

"I do apologize for my sudden intrusion. Where are my manners?" Emma caught the woman's fake politician smile out of the corner of her eye as she offered her right hand to the Detective. "I am Regina Mills, Mayor of Storybrooke, Maine. We're a small town on the coast yet we boast a healthy population of four thousand citizens."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am. I am Detective Vanessa Wright from the Augusta Police Department." The Detective firmly shook the woman's hand, keeping her other on Emma's handcuffs.

A loud gurgling noise drew the crowd's attention to the little boy in the Mayor's arms. Henry's own eyes widened as he watched his mother's head slowly turn and her eyes narrow, first at him and then his stomach.

"When was the last time you ate?" Regina asked softly.

Henry innocently shrugged his shoulders.

_Uh-oh_._ I'm in for it now_. "He had a cinnamon roll before we were scheduled to depart," Emma supplied, fully prepared for an ear-full about his terrible eating habits with her.

"That was four hour ago." It was as if the light of the airport flickered on cue; Emma wearily glanced up towards the ceiling and then down to her other half. _Scary_.

"Are you telling me that _our _son has not eaten in **four** hours?" Regina posed the question in Emma's direction. "In the meanwhile, you have done what?" Regina snarled, staring hard at the Detective who helplessly floundered.

_I wonder if this is what she looks like when she is about to rip out your heart_, Emma wondered as she watched Regina's upper lip curl into a barely contained growl.

"Ma'am we-"

Regina quickly interjected. "From the looks of it, all you have done is starved my son and given him another year of therapy to look forward too." She gestured to Emma's bound hands. "I have it in my right mind to sue you for negligence."

"Ma'am, from the evidence we gathered," Detective Wright gulped, her earlier bravado gone. "It appeared as though Emma Swan was in the process of kidnapping your son, he is your son, right?" the latter part of the sentence was whispered and unsure.

Applying a slight pressure with her thumb into Henry's hip, Regina was pleased when her son dramatically burrowed his head into her neck, wailing, "Mommy! I'm hungry!"

"There, there, my little prince," Regina cooed. "Mommy will find you something to eat." She gingerly rubbed his back, and glanced about the room, secretly relishing in the physical contact her son had denied her for so long. "You there!" she suddenly barked, her head nodding to the cowering social worker. "Who are you?"

"I'm Winifred Payne, a social worker from Augusta County." The aging woman gestured to the Detective. "I was called in by the good Detective here, regarding your son." She offered Regina her card.

"I see." The Mayor did nothing more than offer a disapproving glance to the item before returning her attention her son. "Unfortunately I cannot be two places at once, would you be so kind as to find _our_ son something nourishing to eat while I sort out this mess that apparently _my fiancée_ has found herself in?"

The woman hesitated in answering until one serious look from the Wright said otherwise. "Of course, Ms. Mills."

"Mommy?"

"Yes, my prince?"

Though she had remained silent, Emma watched with longing eyes at the affection Henry easily bestowed on his mother, despite their tumultuous relationship. No matter what she had done in the past, Regina was his mother. In fact Emma was quite jealous of the natural act between mother and son, although she wondered how their son was able to roll with whatever his mother said.

"Are you going to save Emma?"

"I would like to think so," Regina offered him a genuine smile.

"Can I have anything I want to eat?" Henry shyly asked.

Regina playfully narrowed her eyes at him and pursed her lips, before kissing him on the forehead and setting him back down on his feet – a welcome relief for her already weak joints. "Please do not mix and match foods, you know it will make you sick." Sliding her wallet out of her purse, the older woman made a big show of handing him her credit card – _an American Express Black Card_, _holy shit!_ Emma thought.

"I want you to be a good boy and show Mrs. Payne your manners," Regina patted his head. "I raised you better than that, you are a Prince after all."

Henry gave her a look that was a mixture of glee and horror before offering the social worker his arm. "Ma'am."

"Oh, and Henry, make sure you bring something edible for your mother." Regina murmured.

The boy nodded and the group watched as the pair walked through the hallway before turning the corner. Emma could not help but smile at the mother and son antics; _either the pair were well versed in this sort of art, or mother and son were far more in tuned than I first believed_.

"Now, how about you released my fiancée?" Emma did not notice that Regina had stealthily sauntered up to her.

"I cannot do that Ma'am." It had appeared as though the Detective had been lured into a false sense of security watching the woman interact with her child – as if that was a weakness. "She is under arrest for child kidnapping with extenuating circumstances."

"Oh, no?" Regina sweetly smiled and wrapped an arm around Emma. "My, my, my, so willing to make a name for yourself Detective."

Detective Wright watched uneasily as the Mayor began to run a hand up and down one of the blonde's bound arms. "The way I see it, you have blown this entire thing completely out of proportion. I am **our **son's adoptive mother, and I am here now, more than willing to provide you with the legal paperwork necessary to explain this rather unfortunate misunderstanding. What do you think, Emma?" Regina murmured as she leaned in and brushed her lips against the woman's cheek. "Would you like to place a bet with me that by _oh_, six o'clock tomorrow evening Ms. Wright will be standing the unemployment line?"

"Even I would not be as foolish as to bet against you, your Majesty." Emma purred, returning the soft nudge. The sheriff was quick to take a page out of their son's book, if this was how Regina was going to save her ass, she better play along. _Fiancée or no fiancée._

"What do you say, Detective? How about you release my fiancée, give us a moment together, and then we will find a quiet place to sit down and have a**good** conversation?" Regina tilted her head. "I would hate for the press to catch wind that there may be a homophobic Detective with the Augusta Police Department."

The Detective grumbled and yet unlocked the cuffs. "Are we also going to discuss the undisclosed information that Henry's birth mother and adoptive birth mother are engaged?"

"That too." Regina smiled.

* * *

"I turn my back on you for one moment, _one minute_, and this is what happens?" With their hands sweetly interlaced, Regina pulled Emma along behind her until she found an empty bathroom. The moment the older woman insured the room was in fact empty and the door tightly shut behind them, she rounded on the blonde.

"I'm sorry?" Emma offered weakly as Regina dropped their grasped hands.

"This is ridiculous."

"You're acting as if this is my fault!" Emma snapped.

"It is your fault, dammit. I trusted you to take care of _my_ son, no, instead you haul him across the state without so much as consulting me!"

"I told you I was sorry! It wasn't as if Gold gave me time for much of anything!"

"You told me you were sorry on a voice mail, which might I add, you are also terrible at doing. Do you know what it is like to drive several hours by yourself, fearing the worst?" Regina stomped her foot.

Emma moved forward and grabbed Regina's hand. "I am sorry," the younger woman enunciated each word. "I know you only came for _our_ son, but thank you for saving me."

"We aren't out of the woods yet." Despite the uncharacteristic move on Emma's part, neither woman moved, their breathing soon fell into a matched pattern, allowing their tempers to even out.

"Speaking of Gold, where is he?"

It was Emma, this time, who dropped their hands in favor of moving to the sinks. "Gold is more than likely sitting in a federal holding cell."

Regina gave her an inquisitive look.

"He decided it would be a brilliant idea to beat the hell out of a businessman who had the nerve to sass him, as well as a couple of employees."

"Brilliant indeed. Pray tell, what of your deal?" Regina moved to the cold tile wall, eyes downcast, her thumb running over the spot where Emma's fingers had lain.

"He told me that our deal was valid, no matter what. Although any information he had on his son is no doubt in his bags. As far as I can tell I will make a reasonable effort to track down one man, with no evidence of a father, in the great city of New York where there are thousands of men who fit that same exact profile." Emma snickered. "How long do you think we have until Wright comes looking for us?" she eyed the door.

"Not long enough," Regina grumbled.

Emma sighed and shrugged off her coat and threw it on the counter, determined to scrub away the bruises and dirt the handcuffs had left behind. "I need a shower," she muttered more to herself than anything. The sheriff had been impressed when the Detective had waved the couple off, grumbling about her own stomach and gorgeous brunette women.

Peering through her eyelashes, Emma searched the large mirror for Regina. She was taken aback to see the normally strong and uptight mayor leaning heavily on the towel dispenser, one hand pushed back through her hair, and her eyes tightly closed. The fluorescent lights cast a sickly color over the woman, highlighting sunken cheekbones and collarbones, barely peeking out of the collar of the dress shirt. "Has anyone told you you look like hell?" Emma asked.

"No one would be as stupid to say such a thing," Regina muttered despite not opening her eyes.

Emma splashed water on her face and ran a wet hand through her hair several times.

"Although I do feel like it too."

The admission surprised Emma.

"Why did you come?"

"For Henry."

"How long do you plan to use that excuse?"

"For as long as it takes." Regina opened her eyes and sauntered over to the sinks, beginning her own task of placing her cold, wet hands onto her warm cheeks.

"I am your fiancée, though?" Emma flicked water in Regina's direction. "You're going to sit there and tell me that you are the feared Evil Queen of a far off fairytale land could not do this heroic 'saving' _thing_ without getting into my pants?" she teased. "For Henry, right?"

"Do not make me turn around and tell the Detective that I was sorely mistaken," Regina snarled and turned, flinging an arm in the blonde's direction.

Emma easily caught the limb and seeing an advantage, she hoisted the brunette up onto the counter in one foul move.

"You would, like you said, you love our son far too much." Emma growled right back. "If I am going to play the part of your willing fiancée, would it be so bad if I asked you for a kiss?"

"You bitch!"

"Ms. Swan, Ms. Mills?" A voice came at the door. The couple's eyes widened as the doorknob turned and the door began to open.

"Quick!" Regina caught sight of their compromised and _wet_ position, and though the fit was tight with a pencil skirt, she pulled the young woman atop her. _It looks like Emma is going to get her kiss_. Grasping a handful of blonde mane in one hand and sliding the other into Emma's shirt, Regina painfully groaned as her head thumped against the mirrors, gravity not quite on their side. Fortunately Emma was quick to grasp the idea and capture Regina's lips in hers, slipping an arm around the woman's waist, pressing her into her body.

"Ladies," a cough was heard. "I am sorry to apologize but-"

"Of course Detective Wright," Regina gasped. "Please give us one moment; we shouldn't keep you waiting much longer." Except as Regina's eyelashes fluttered open, she gave no indication that she had physically looked at the intruder. The door slammed shut and Emma pounced, seeking out Regina's lips once more, despite the other woman's undignified squeak.

"You're my fiancée, I can do that." Emma sassed and nipped at her bottom lip.

Only Regina did not respond as Emma pulled her back into a sitting position.

"Wait, what's wrong?" Regina's head dropped onto Emma's shoulder. Inhaling deeply, Regina stiffly sat up.

"It's nothing. Get me down."

"No, it is something!" Emma frowned, able to closely scan the older woman's face. "Did something happen after we left?"

"You were there when it happened, or at least you arrived afterwards." Regina muttered. Emma gently tilted the woman's head back and caught sight of the concealed bags under her eyes.

"The well incident?"

"Indeed."

"Henry never told me what exactly happened."

"We'll talk about this later. For the time being, you and I are a loving couple. Your job is simple, follow my lead. It would be your place in our marriage if it were real."

"Ouch." Using the arm she still had wrapped around her body, Emma slowly lowered Regina to the floor. "You hair!" Glancing in the mirror, she caught sight of the chestnut mane that now cascaded down Regina's back.

"Extensions."

"Uh-huh." Emma grinned knowingly.

The couple quickly dried themselves off and straightened their clothes, forgoing their jackets for two completely different reasons. Offering her hand, much like she had seen their son do earlier, Emma opened the door. "Hey, since we're getting married and _obviously_ changing our last names, it would totally be Mills-Swan, right?"

Regina gave her a look as she took the offered hand and tightly grasped their fingers together. "Swan-Mills."

"Oh come on Regina! Mills-Swan sounds better."

"It does not. Swan-Mills."

Emma grumbled as she followed Regina down the hallway.


	8. Chapter VIII

**Of Airports and Engagements **

Chapter **VIII**

* * *

**Author: **ScarletBloodDoll

**Editor: **WinterBlazes

**Dates written: **May 16th, 2013 through May 18th, 2013

**Status: **In-progress

**Series: **Once Upon a Time

**Rating: **Mature

**Relationships: **Regina Mills | Emma Swan (Swan Queen)

**Warnings: **Post curse | Spoilers for Season Two

**Distribution: **Do not archive without author's permission.

**Disclaimer: **The characters and premise of Once Upon a Time belong to ABC Studios, Adam Horowitz, and Edward Kitsis. Any and all other copyright material mentioned subsequently belong to their respective owner(s), including but not limited to character(s) 'Detective Vanessa Wright' and 'Social Worker Winifred Payne' whom belong solely to the author. This work is a non-profit effort and no copyright infringement is intended.

**Author's note:** Reviews are appreciated.

* * *

"As you can see here Detective," Regina murmured. "I have any and all legal paperwork you may need to answer your questions."

_Indeed she does_, Emma could not help but be impressed as Regina unearthed her leather briefcase and began to draw out a series of manila folders, all categorically labeled with different colors.

"First and foremost, here is Henry's formal adoption file, including the order signed by the judge." Regina offered the woman the largest file in the stack, giving her a few moments to comb through the case.

"Here is also every single report card since pre-school, and the limited disciplinary notices, as well as a few of my favorite school projects." Regina smiled. "He is a brilliant child."

Though she had not been keen on believing the woman's words, there was no doubt in Emma's mind, at least now, that Regina loved her son. No one had saved _her_ report cards, much less her sorry excuses for school projects. Quite frankly, no one would have gone through this much trouble to get _her_ out of trouble. Hell, even she had to admit the truth to herself, had she said half of what her son said to his adoptive mother, to a foster mother, Emma would have found her mouth washed out with a bar of soap and forced to sleep outside, or worst case scenario, sent to a group home.

_I wonder if and when we return to Storybrooke, she'll allow me to sit down with his folders and the mementos she has saved._ Emma took a deep breath allow the sudden onslaught of emotional memories subside while the mayor continued to hand the Detective a handful of folders, one by one, allowing the woman to thoroughly comb through the bunch.

"Here is a minimal folder, _thank the heavens_," Regina breathily laughed, "detailing various injuries that have required medical attention and annual doctor's records."

The conference room fell silent for a few minutes, leaving Emma uncomfortably shifting in her seat and Regina as still and stiff as a plank. "I will say Ms. Mills," remarked Detective Wright. "You have raised a remarkable son."

"Thank you," Regina preened.

_Perhaps I should find a way to thank her, _Emma thought, _Hell, if it hadn't been for Regina; I would have never had a healthy son to find me ten years later_.

"Forgive me but I do not understand, but from the evidence given, your son's case was a closed adoption. Ms. Swan contractually and by law gave up any and all rights she had to her son, simply being your fiancée has no legal standing. I'm sure you know that." The Detective's eyebrows furrowed, unsure of what angle this woman was working.

"Only she does have legal permission," Regina handed the Wright the last remaining manila folder, and turned to Emma. "I was hoping to give this to you during our trip, honestly, this is all my fault." Regina shook her head, bottom lip pouting ever so slightly.

_The woman is a better actress than I thought_. Regina was constantly surprising Emma. Absentmindedly, Emma reached out a hand to grasp Regina's.

"Oh!" Wright softly grasped.

Slightly startled, Regina turned to look at Wright and estimated where her eyes were on the file before her. "I had my lawyer draw up the formal paperwork after she asked me to marry her," Regina said.

"If you don't mind me asking, when did the two you get engaged?"

The question was posed to the couple as a whole, Wright's eyes amusedly bounced between the two women. Although she was under strict orders to follow the older woman's lead, Emma could not help but panic.

"August." Regina gripped Emma's hand. "Emma asked me to marry her in August."

_Why did I have to be the one that proposed? Oh, that's right, because Regina is a goddamn Queen, is why._

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Regina's harsh glare, despite the Detective snickering in the background. "I'm sorry _my dear_," Emma excused herself. "I'm a bit tired."

"I'm sure it's all those bear claws you eat on a daily basis," Regina chided. "It has been a long day for both of us," she admitted, nodding her head.

_If we aren't careful, Emma is going to debunk everything that I've set up_, Regina mentally groaned. Even though she was unsure of how _romantic _and _engaged_ couples acted, the Queen was almost sure that this was not the proper demonstration. _Perhaps I should have asked Kathryn for advice_.

Eyeing their positions, Regina asked, "Emma, _dear_, why are you so far away?" gesturing to the space between them. Even though she had been trained in the fine art of body language, she could easily spot that their bodies were a dead giveaway to the truth. Emma sat on the furthest end of the couch that was possible, legs and arms wide open. Despite a hand intertwined with Regina's, Emma's attention was anywhere but there.

"Huh?" Emma was sure that the older woman was trying to tell her something, she was clearly supposed to read between the lines but to no avail.

Regina sighed, eyes casting downwards. "I have missed you, you know."

"Oh!" Emma scooted across the couch and pushed herself as close to Regina as possible, awkwardly sliding one arm behind her back, unsure if she was allowed to touch the woman who had maintained a cool exterior most days. "I'm sorry, just stupidly tired."

"At least we can agree on something." Regina affectionately patted the blonde's cheek. "It's past your bedtime after all," she teased.

The Detective fought against her laughter, a strangled noise drawing the couple's attention. "Perhaps it is because it is nearing the end of my shift, and it is quite late," Wright glanced at her watch. "I really do not understand. If you are truly engaged, why have you waited until this _particular_ weekend to give Emma these papers?" The Detective slid the open file before them and the blonde glanced down, taking a moment to read the upside down words – _a shared custody agreement. What?!_

"I wanted it to be my engagement gift to you," Regina lowered her voice.

"I-I," Emma floundered as she glanced between the file and Regina.

"Since we are answering questions, perhaps you can tell me why Henry did not mention this to me, and more importantly, why isn't there a ring on your finger?!"

"Whoa there tiger, one question at a time," Emma reprimanded.

"Tell me Detective, do you have their itineraries for their **entire** trip?" Regina's eyes narrowed, secretly thrilled, her plan coming to fruition.

Detective Wright cocked her head and glanced down to her own paperwork; a culmination of messy notes and a paper or two from airport security itself. "No, I do not. Why would it matter?"

"If you had and chosen to look past any matters involving Mr. Gold, you would see that Ms. Swan has a rather _empty_ itinerary with one exception." The mayor smirked. "Next Wednesday at four thirteen, Emma has an appointment with the head jeweler of Tiffany's to discuss not only my engagement band, but our wedding bands as well."

Wright's eyes widened.

"Mr. Gold had contracted my fiancée for a maximum of four days, including today." Regina leaned forward. "If you would be so kind as to check the completed itinerary I filed just this morning, you will also find that I am scheduled to depart in a matter of hours myself on a red eye flight. I figured a midnight flight would be the perfect time travel, after all, I would have completed a full day in my post without any unnecessary interruptions and could take a two week vacation without leaving my town in jeopardy." Regina glanced at the clock on the wall. "Unfortunately those plans were changed once I received those horrible phone calls."

"I am going to have to verify this of course." Wright sat up straighter in a vain attempt to match the mayor's attitude.

"But of course," Regina waved her hand.

"You still have not answered my questions." Detective Wright's eyes narrowed.

"If I may, Detective?" At this Emma fully sat up and leaned over to take Regina's left hand. "A blind person could see that this woman is a Queen and deserve a ring to fit her pedigree."

Regina glanced at their hands and then to Emma, who held her gaze. "When I asked her to marry me, it was a spur of the moment thing; I didn't think she would say yes." Emma nervously giggled. "I sort of panicked by the point, and although Storybrooke is a great town, it lacks anything decent when it comes to engagement bands."

Regina said nothing as she carefully watched the plan, prepare to interject at a moment's notice.

"I figure if she didn't mind, I could put together enough money to create a ring she would adore and buy our wedding bands at the same time."

"I concur, Sheriff." Regina sweetly smiled, sickened by the sweet declaration, while driving her foot into Emma's under the table. "I figured that if this was going to be the week when I finally acquired my engagement ring, and since she refuses to let me buy one for her as well, the least I could do was give her _this_," Regina gestured to the file. "As an engagement present."

"If you will give me a moment, and while I do believe you, I need to do this for the sake of covering my own ass. I will find a manager to print out your itineraries." The Detective stood and pulled out her cell phone.

"If our son is anywhere in the vicinity, could you please bring him back with you?" Regina asked, and the woman nodded as she stalked out, slamming the door closed behind her.

The minute the lock clicked into place, Regina fell to pieces – her ramrod back and proper form gave way, nearly collapsing onto Emma.

"Whoa, what's wrong?" Emma was immediately concerned, gently sitting Regina back on the couch and pulling up her feet behind her. "You're hot!" Even under the slather of foundation, Emma could see the red flush to woman's face only confirmed by pressing her cold hand to her cheek.

"Duly noted," Regina groaned, throwing an arm over her face.

"Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"The well incident."

Emma snarled. "Yes, I know that. If Henry comes in here and finds you like this, he's going to-"

"He's going to what, Sheriff?" Regina narrowed her eyes at her. "He's going to tell me that I no doubt deserve what I am going through."

"Which is?"

"Let's just say Gold's dark magic and fairy dust met my magic." Regina closed her eyes and took a deep breath, ignoring the sharp pain to her sore rib cage.

"Geez, I must have missed the day the teacher taught 'Gold's Magic and Fairy Dust 101'!" Emma griped.

"It wreaks havoc on the person's system, it isn't the nicest thing to go through."

Unconsciously Emma began to knead Regina's thigh as she sat lost in thought, trying to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

"Please tell me that Wright isn't going to march back in here and have us both arrested for obstruction of justice."

Regina only made a noise in the back of her throat, unconsciousness rearing her ugly head.

"Regina you just told her that you have a plane ticket and a complete itinerary for the both of us. Gold did no such thing!" Emma began to panic, counting the seconds as her freedom slipped away.

"You have always underestimated me; do you think so little of me that I would have walked in here without a plan?" Regina smiled.

"There is no magic here," Emma groaned.

"In Storybrooke there is. I only backdated the plane ticket and appointments to their appropriate dates and whispered a last suggestion spell to whomever I spoke to."

Emma leaned back on the couch, opposite of Regina, and gazed out the large windows. The sun had long gone down, and the runway lights lit the sky in an array of colors, reminding her of the sky in Storybrooke, _at least on a clear night anyways_. All of this was a mess, Emma's head hurt just thinking about it.

"Why could we just go back to Storybrooke?"

Regina sharply glanced up. "I will not have you ruin this plan, we have already been caught in one too many lies. I will accompany you and our son to New York, you will complete your deal with Gold, and trust me, _he will know_, and we will simply prepare for the fallout."

"Right." Emma nodded; for some reason or another, tears sprang to her eyes. How hard was it to ask for a simpler life than this? All she wanted was the easy life she had created for herself in Boston, not in a tangled web of lies and elaborate schemes that she found herself in lately.

"What if they end up sending a social worker to Storybrooke to keep an eye on Henry? They were ready to haul him off to a group home before you arrived."

Emma had not expected the snarl of anger to echo through the room.

"Regina, they didn't!" Emma was quick to move across the couch and pin the woman down. "You got here in time, they didn't!"

Regina huffily sat back. "I ought to rip that woman into shreds," she muttered.

"What are we going to do?" Emma asked once more.

"I will not let it come to that." Regina looked up at Emma. "If it does, then you will do the proper thing and marry me, and we will play house. Now get your hands off of me."

Emma grinned at the demand before scooting back to her side of the couch and tucking her own booted feet against Regina, ignoring the downward turn of her lips. Repeating Regina's words in her head, excitement bubbled in her stomach. There was a part of her that could not help it, it was all she had ever wanted, granted, it would have been a lie, but it was all she had ever wanted nonetheless. In less than a year she had found her birth parents, her son, and his adoptive mother to boot. There was a small part of her; the four year old that had looked out the window of yet another foster home and dreamed of the big white house with a white picket fence, a wife, a dog, and two point five kids. There was no doubt in her mind that her parents would throw a monumental fit but this was for Henry, right?

"You're amazing, you know that, right?" Emma turned her head. "Crazy as hell, but amazing." Even Emma had to admit that the best con artist she knew could not roll with the punches like the Mills woman could.

"I know, dear."

"Dang it Regina, stop that."

"Stop what?"

"Stop doing that!"

"You're giving me a headache, dear. Stop what?"

"Am I interrupting something, ladies?" The Detective strutted back into the room, eyes darting between the paperwork in her hand and the pair on the couch.

Only this time Regina did not bother to move or excuse them. "Yes you are. I feel as though I have properly addressed your concerns, is my Emma free to go?" Regina opened one eye.

"You haven't answered one question," Wright sat down. "Why didn't Henry tell me that the two of you were engaged?"

Emma stealthy shifted in place, moving Regina's heeled feet into her lap. While the woman talked, she slipped off the gorgeous shoes and began to massage the swollen ankles. _What is going on, Regina? _Walking behind the woman earlier, even she had to admit that the woman had lost weight, her curvaceous backside no longer as well defined as Emma liked.

"If you look into the annual doctor report files, there is a section in the very back with his psychiatric notes."

The Detective nudged through the stack of folders.

"I am sure our son has told you himself, he believes Emma to be the White Knight and I, to be the Evil Queen. Can you imagine the sort of devastation that would bring upon him?"

"I couldn't imagine," Wright replied. Looking closely at the file she did indeed confirm that Henry was diagnosed with delusions of grandeur nearly a year ago.

"For the last year, he has steadfastly believed that I needed to be destroyed." Regina sniffled and turned her head away. "If we told him that we we're getting married, I don't think he would forgive me. Perhaps even convincing himself that I had taken his mother's heart."

"Which isn't far from the truth," Emma smiled and offered Regina her hand, helping the older woman into a sitting position.

"I just don't think that I could handle losing my son all over again," a tear slipped down her face.

"No, no, I understand Ms. Mills." Detective Wright handed her a tissue from her own pocket. "I have spoken to my superiors and they feel as though this was a terrible miscommunication. I hope you understand, your friend's outburst earlier has the entire airport on high alert. On behalf of the Augusta Police Department, I would like to offer my apologies and our congratulations."

Emma and Regina nodded as the Detective handed them a small stack of paperwork in return. "I have already spoken to the on-site manager who has gone ahead and moved Ms. Swan and your son's seats to match your flight."

"Thank you very much Detective," Regina stood; sans heels Regina was a rather small woman, a fact Emma took great pleasure in.

"Your son is finishing his dinner with Ms. Payne whom I believe would like to send out a case worker in New York to simply tie up loose ends. If you wouldn't mind, of course." The trio began to shake hands.

"Of course not, we have nothing to hide." Regina smiled.

"We are only trying to do the best for our son." Emma threw in.

Detective Wright nodded and passed Regina her personal card. "If the two of you are either in Augusta again," the words went unspoken. "Ma'am, Emma." She tipped her head.

"Thank you again, _Vanessa_." Regina cooed.

The moment was laughable; it was as if the pesky Detective had turned into a stuttering teenager as blood flooded her cheeks and she was quick to flee the room.

Emma breathed out a sigh of relief; _we have escaped yet another bullet. _

"Thank you," Emma said.

"You're welcome." Regina muttered. Only as she moved to the low table to begin to pack away the manila folders into her briefcase, she dangerously swayed on her feet, causing Emma to scramble to hold her.

"You shouldn't be traveling in this condition."

"You shouldn't be getting into this much trouble."

"Touché."

"Come on, let me do this." Emma sat Regina back down on the couch and gazed at the files. No doubt Regina would have her head if she did not do this correctly. "All we have to do is fly to New York, and we're in the clear, right?" Organizing the files by importance, she slid them into the briefcase and latched it closed.

"More or less, then I can sleep." A soft smile crossed the Queen's face. "You and Henry can stay out of trouble for the long, right?"

"Right." Emma nodded; looking into Regina's eyes she could see that they were glassy and unfocused.

"Let's get out of here; this place gives me the creeps." The conference room itself was a replica of the holding room; cold, bland, and odd shadows cast in the corners of the rooms. Slipping Regina's feet into her heels, she gently tapped the older woman on the cheek. "We only have to make it to New York, and then we can fix you right up."

Hauling Regina to her feet, the mayor took a deep breath as she used Emma's arm to steady herself. "Unfortunately Ms. Swan, magic comes with a price; you know that better than anyone."

While it appeared as though Emma was the lovely fiancée carrying the other woman's things, no one was any the wiser that she bore most of Regina's weight in an attempt to keep the woman from simply falling over.

* * *

"Do you believe their story, Winifred?" a certain Detective asked.

"You don't?" the old woman asked.

Once Henry Mills had been collected from her custody, the Detective and social worker fell back into the shadows, watching them interact as they waited to board their flight. Despite what the younger woman wanted to believe, even she couldn't deny the chemistry before them.

The brunette had taken to lounging in the blonde's arms, content to lay there with her eyes closed, fingers intertwined with that of the other woman's. The blonde laughed while their son ran circles around them, clearly on a sugar rush. The sheriff leaned down and whispered something in the mayor's ear, causing the woman to snicker, and gently head-butt her in return.

"You ought to leave well enough alone, child. The woman is something else; I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you."

The Detective gnawed on her lip. "The whole thing, it doesn't sound odd to you?"

"I have heard and seen far crazier stories than a birth mother and adoptive mother falling in love. Turn a blind eye, child. It won't do you any good messing with a woman like her; she's the type who would kill anyone who laid a finger on her family, don't be surprised if she hasn't already. Come along."


End file.
